Catalonia deserves independence

All involved are better off together

Catalonia's claim to independence is valid, considering the way that the rest of Spain has treated it from the days of Franco to the recent violent repression of its referendum, asserts Juan Felipe Vargas Alba of The Gateway. The rules that keep the region Spanish are outdated. Spain is very different socio-economically now. Catalonia has a very high economic output that isn’t equaled by the rest of the country. The government doesn’t reciprocate with higher spending, giving the Catalans an unfair deal. The violent crackdown on the recent vote cemented what many of them believe already, the region needs independence from Spain.

The secession of Catalonia from Spain would be a disaster for the country’s economy and have a strong de-stabilizing effect on Europe, which is why it shouldn’t happen, holds Alexi Cohan of The Hofstra Chronicle. Besides having its own rich culture Catalonia is inherently Spanish. This doesn’t mean that concessions aren’t in order, which they are. The government should engage the region in talks that give it more independence while still contributing to the Spanish economy. A split would ravage it, while opening the door for further European secession movements that could divide and hurt the region. Catalonia should not become independent.